Live Oak: Betsey H's Spectacular Garden

Wow look at Live Oak member Betsey H’s spectacular garden!  Betsey has done an outstanding job mixing native plants, non-native plants, butterfly plants, trees, and shrubs.  Betsey has a large selection of native plants:  oak leaf hydrangea, coral bean, beauty berry, Florida anise, cinnamon fern, and many more.  She also has a large selection of butterfly plants.  The red pentas and bottlebrush get lots of action from giant swallowtails & zebra longwings.  Many different birds enjoy her feeders too.  Congratulations to Betsey & Mark for creating such a beautiful backyard habitat.

Magnolia Circle: 13-Foot Alligator Story

In the Magnolia Circle meeting this week, the story about a 13-foot alligator that was trapped in Lake George was shared.  Lou Ann Williams (pictured above and the trapper) is the daughter-in-law of Rosemary Williams of our Magnolia Circle!  The article is featured below, and is available on the Florida Times Union website.

Pictured:  Lou Ann Williams with 13-foot gator (picture from Jacksonville.com)

Couple bags 'monster' gator in Putnam County
by Dana Treen, Posted on Jacksonville.com 9/11/2013

Ben Williams has been hunting gators for a long time and already has one in Florida’s top-10 record book.

So when he and wife Louann spotted a big one around daybreak Wednesday in the northern reaches of Lake George, he knew it was right up there.

“We first saw him on the surface of the water like a jon boat,” said Williams, 57, remarking on the behemoth that eventually stretched the tape to roughly 13 feet, 7 inches.

The couple live in St. Johns County and own Fisherman’s Dock Seafood Market in Mandarin where they brought the alligator after killing it and hauling it aboard their boat in Putnam County. Williams said they’ll get 200 or more pounds of meat as well as hide and claws from the catch.

Estimating its total weight is tricky, but record-size Florida alligators about the same length weigh 700 to 870 pounds, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission records. Williams called the agency to measure the catch but said they were not able to respond. His other record catch was in 2008 when he snagged a 13-foot-6-inch alligator weighing 839 pounds.

The Williams catch gators under the state’s lottery-style permit system. Between them, the couple had four permits this year.

The Williams’ found him in about 9 feet of water.

“We got real excited,” Louann Williams said. “We started shaking.”

Using a fishing pole, she snagged the big gator with a hook. The trick is to get enough hooks in to get a secure hold. But before that happened, their prey took off.

“You couldn’t see him anymore but you could see the wake,” she said. “It looked like a monster in the water.”

The one line held and the Williams were able to follow it to where the alligator went to the bottom. Then, hooking it again, the two were able to drag it to the surface where Ben Williams used a harpoon then a device called a bang stick with a .357-magnum round to kill it. They tied it to the side of the boat and brought it to a dock where they used a block and tackle rig to hoist it across the stern. The Williams trailered the boat and drove to Jacksonville.

Ben Williams estimated it is the sixth 13-footer he’s caught in the past five years. He said Fish and Wildlife has properly managed alligator populations in recent years.

“Nobody ever gives credit to the fish and game commission for the job they’ve done managing the resource,” he said.

Since 1988 the commission has held a lottery for hunting permits that designates areas and a mid-August to Nov. 1 season, said Tony Young, a hunting spokesman for the agency. Alligator populations hover around 2 million in the state, he said.

“That’s a number our agency is comfortable with,” he said.

Alligators are in all 67 counties in the state, according to commission information.

Steve Stiegler, a wildlife biologist with the agency’s alligator management program, said alligators are larger in the southern reaches of their range, which stretches to South Carolina. That’s due to longer feeding seasons where weather is warmer. Alligators grow about a foot a year under optimum conditions, he said, though more slowly as they age. Alligators the size the Williamses caught Wednesday are big, but not unusual.

On Sept. 1, a 14-foot-1-inch alligator was killed in Lake Talquin in Gadsden County. It is the second longest on official state records. The longest, a 14-foot-3-inch alligator, was killed in November 2010 in Lake Washington. The largest weighed a whopping 1,043 pounds and was caught in Orange Lake in 1989, according to records back to 1977.

Dana Treen: (904) 359-4091

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2013-09-11/story/couple-bags-monster-gator-putnam-county#ixzz2ejhhYQH5

A New Leaf - September/October Issue

The New Leaf Newsletter by the Duval County Extension office is now available for the September/October issue.  Find out what to plant, how to troubleshoot insects and diseases, upcoming programs, and more to help Jacksonville residents take care of their landscape.

Mandarin Newsline September Issue is Now Online

The Mandarin Newsline's, our local community newspaper, September issue is now available!  Check out the article about the Mandarin Garden Club featured in the issue on page 14.  Below is the press release from RT Publishing.

This month's issue of Mandarin NewsLine is once again filled with all the informative community news you have come to expect from your community newspaper!

With school back in session, it is marching band season again! Check out the article on the front page about the MHS Mustang Band, past and future!

Also on page 1: "Catholic Night at the Ballpark" was a big success as neighbors enjoyed a Jacksonville Suns game.

City Councilmember Matt Schellenberg's column is back in this issue. See page 4 for his explanation on how he voted on the mayor's pension proposal.

Taxes...to raise or not to raise? Check out page 7 for our political columnists' take on this important issue.

The Mandarin Women's Club has had a busy summer planning for the upcoming season. See their article for all the details on page 13.

There is "football aplenty" according to local sports columnist Chad Cushnir. Be sure to read his article on page 15.

Don't miss our annual Back to School Guide beginning on page 19. Everything you need to know about the newly started school year, in addition to columns by our MHS student writers, is contained in this special section.

A special thank you for reading our publication. Please be sure to patronize our advertisers; they are the ones who bring Mandarin NewsLine to your mailbox each month!

Be on the lookout, watch for the children as they return to school!

Cordially,

Rebecca Taus, Publisher

3rd Annual MGC Plant Exchange

The Mandarin Garden Club's 3rd Annual Plant Exchange on July 20th, 2013 was a great success!  Members from all circles participated in 10 rounds of swapping plants and miscellaneous garden stuff.  Also invited were the Mandarin Demonstration Garden Master Gardeners & Jacksonville V.I.G’s (very important gardeners).  The V.I.G.’s are: 

• Linda Cunningham - local herb expert
• Linda Jones - local garden blogger of Southern Rural Route
• Janese Warner - local expert gardener
• Tatyana Vaynberg - retired from Trad’s Garden Center  

This event for MGC members and invited guests was a fantastic way to get new and interesting plants for free.  Garden books, magazines, tools, garden art, ceramic pots, etc., were also swapped.  Attendees enjoyed refreshments made with ingredients from the garden and recipes to take home (PDF available below).

For more photos from the 3rd Annual Plant Exchange, go to the Gallery.

Susan Westermann getting ready for the Plant Exchange.

Linda Jones, one of our invited guests to the 3rd Annual Plant Exchange. Linda is from Jacksonville and garden blogger of Southern Rural Route (http://SouthernRuralRoute.wordpress.com).

(L-R) Marina and Karen (MGC President) are both members of our Dogwood Circle.

These ladies are waiting in front of the plants they want to grasp when the first round of the exchange starts. Notice Sandie Ingram's hand (orange top); she's not letting anyone get her plant!

Recipes from 3rd Annual Plant Exchange

Download File

A New Leaf

The New Leaf Newsletter by the Duval County Extension office is now available for the July/August issue.  Find out what to plant, how to troubleshoot insects and diseases, upcoming programs, and more to help Jacksonville residents take care of their landscape.

MGC in the Mandarin Newsline

The Mandarin Garden Club is featured in the Mandarin Newsline's July 2013 issue!  If you're not a Mandarin resident or do not get the Mandarin Newsline in your mailbox, check out the digital edition here.

Picture source:  Mandarin Newsline July 2013 issue

Live Oak Circle - Summer Garden Pictures

While the Mandarin Garden Club is on summer hiatus to keep everyone in the gardening spirit, some of the Live Oak circle members are submitting their garden pictures and/or gardens that inspires them to Gretchen M.  All Circles are welcome to send their pictures to Gretchen via e-mail.  Pictures will be posted on the blog throughout the summer.

This post was provided by Susan W.

Hi Gretchen, 

Here are some pictures from my yard to share with the Live Oak Circle.  Good Gardening, Susan.

1.  Caladiums & ferns grow great under the shade of my giant live oak tree.  For years & years I included impatiens with the caladiums & ferns, but now they won’t grow because of the impatiens downy mildew epidemic.  I keep the invasive fern in control because it is planted in an old rusted out fire pit.  I’ts elevated just enough to keep the fern from spreading.

2.  Hydrangea, swamp hibiscus & white shrimp plant all growing under the live oak tree.  All of these were given to me by garden club members or I got them at our plant swaps.

3.  Mary C. from the Cherokee Rose Circle gave me a small rooted cutting of this outstanding red salvia a couple years ago.  It is about 5 feet tall now & never falls over.  It blooms from spring until we get freezing temperatures.  That area is also planted with black & blue salvia & pineapple sage, but the big red salvia towers over the other sage/salvias.  I have it planted so that I can see it from my kitchen sink window.  It makes doing the dishes much more pleasant when I often get to watch hummingbirds & butterflies on that big red salvia.

Good Gardening,
Susan

Live Oak Circle - Summer Garden Pictures

While the Mandarin Garden Club is on summer hiatus to keep everyone in the gardening spirit, some of the Live Oak circle members are submitting their garden pictures and/or gardens that inspires them to Gretchen M.  All Circles are welcome to send their pictures to Gretchen via e-mail.  Pictures will be posted on the blog throughout the summer.

This post was provided by Susan W.

Hi Gretchen,

Love the idea of sharing our garden pictures with our Live Oak Circle friends.  These pictures were taken in the Potager Garden at the Garden Club.  Becky B. & I tend this charming kitchen garden that provides vegetables, fruits, herbs & cutting flowers all together from one small space. Becky & I are standing behind the outstanding Alachua Red Rose, a.k.a Red Cascade.  Babies from this rose are usually available at the MGC Spring Plant Sale & Garden Festival.  I look forward to seeing pictures from other Live Oak members’ gardens.

Good Gardening, 
Susan W.

Organic Vegetable Gardening

Learn to grow delicious, nutrient-rich organic herbs and vegetables in your own backyard. Discover how to build, layer and create healthy soil without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Step-by-step techniques for planting and harvesting take the guesswork from getting the most from your garden. Month-by-month planning calendars keep your vegetables producing year round. Whether you are new to gardening or a seasoned gardener, expand your horticultural knowledge in organic fertilization and pest management and pick up the tricks and tips for creating a robust garden that thrives rather than just survives.

Call (904) 620-4200 or e-mail unfce@unf.edu for more info on this course.

Date:  Thursdays, June 27 through July 18, three sessions

Time:  6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Location:  Adam W. Herbert University Center

Cost:  $79

Event information provided by Gretchen.  Photo source:  organic.about.com

Live Oak Circle - Summer Garden Pictures

While the Mandarin Garden Club is on summer hiatus to keep everyone in the gardening spirit, some of the Live Oak circle members are submitting their garden pictures and/or gardens that inspires them to Gretchen M.  All Circles are welcome to send their pictures to Gretchen via e-mail.  Pictures will be posted on the blog throughout the summer.

This post was provided by Lisa D.

From Lisa D.

My backyard is quite small and very shaded by large trees.  Through the years we learned, the expensive way, that we could not grow grass there, soooo after making our own concrete stepping stones with a mold, I planted miniature mondo grass to replace sod.  It has taken beautifully.  The orchid my husband gave me years ago for an anniversary has only bloomed  a few flowers a few times.  This year I was so excited to get 6 pairs of blooms!  Love my little frog pics.  They lived in the drip pan for months.

Live Oak Circle - Summer Garden Pictures

While the Mandarin Garden Club is on summer hiatus to keep everyone in the gardening spirit, some of the Live Oak circle members are submitting their garden pictures and/or gardens that inspires them to Gretchen M.  All Circles are welcome to send their pictures to Gretchen via e-mail.  Pictures will be posted on the blog throughout the summer.

This post was provided by Gretchen M.

From Gretchen M.

I've attached a couple of pictures from one of the flower gardens in my front yard.  Gaurda (Whirling Butterflies) is the focus of two of the shots (top).  The garden itself is a mixture of a lot of plants including pentas, bulbine, salvias, and daylilies. 

Live Oak Circle - Hypertufa Demo

For the last meeting of the 2012-2013 season, Live Oak members got the chance to make hypertufa containers courtesy of new Live Oak member, Stephanie S. (pictured).  

Hypertufa is an anthropic rock made from various aggregates bonded together by Portland cement.  Originally invented for use in alpine gardens, hypertufas can withstand harsh winters as low as −30 °C (−22 °F).  Hypertufas are popular as garden ornaments (pots/planters or various shapes) and are lightweight compared to terracotta or traditional concrete planters.

Live Oak members used small- to medium-sized plastic containers and lined with plastic drop cloths to create their hypertufa.  Hypertufa can be shaped and molded into anything.  Judy, Circle Co-Chair, brought her hypertufa mushroom (pictured) as an example.  Everyone had a great time!  The recipe is listed below if you want to make your own hypertufa.

Interested in participating in events like this?  Come join the Mandarin Garden Club!  For more information, check out our Membership page.

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Hypertufa Recipe

Materials: 7 parts Peat Moss 5 parts Portland Cement 4 parts Vermiculite 3 parts Perlite 6 parts Water

Equipment: Dust mask Rubber gloves Mixing tub Measuring cups Molds Inexpensive plastic drop cloth

Technique:
Measure, then mix dry ingredients thoroughly.  Make sure to wear a dust mask  and wear gloves during this part of process.  Add water and mix thoroughly again.  Consistency should be something like brownie mix.  Cake mix consistency is too runny; bread dough too stiff.

After mixing, do not add large amounts of water.  It may inhibit the cement from setting.

Line your mold with the plastic drop cloth.  After molding the hypertufa, leave it molded for 24 hours (longer in cold/cloudy weather or for large molds).  Gently work to remove the hypertufa from the mold.

After removing from the mold, your piece will be soft.  Don't handle it a lot, rather place it a quiet spot and you will see it start to harden and cure.  It is not completely cured for 90 days but you may plant in it after a week or so.  You will need to drill a drain hole with a masonry bit before or after drying.

Note:  After molding your hypertufa, you may "drill" a hole using a pencil while it is still soft and has not harden or set.

Club Rentals

Mandarin Garden Club - Located at 2892 Loretto Road

The Rental Coordinator for the Club is Suzanne. Please contact Suzanne at 904-268-1192 for Club availability and additional information.

The Club is the perfect location for your next event whether it's a wedding, party or a neighborhood meeting. A charming historic exterior and updated and well maintained interior; the kitchen features 2 full size electric ranges with 2 large ovens, and an empty refrigerator all for your use. The main hall has concrete floors, perfect for dancing. The hall is about 2300 square feet and will accommodate 150 people. There are 25 six (6) foot rectangular tables and 110 folding chairs included with the rental.

Many outdoor weddings have been held in our beautiful gardens. Come check us out. Our gardens are maintained by some of the Master Gardeners of Duval County.

The Mandarin Garden Club provides a wonderful setting for weddings and other special occasions, celebrations and meetings. Rentals are available for either the day (8:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. the next day), or for the entire weekend (Friday 8:30 a.m. till close-out on Monday 8:30 a.m.) Costs vary depending on the day of the week. Seasonal/holiday rates may apply.

We take great pride in this historic building and gardens. It is a unique setting for any event, and we expect our renters to honor our property with great care during their use.

For more information, please go to Rental.